Bribery case: Police approach High Court against CM Digambar Kamat's anticipatory bail

The Crime Branch of Goa Police on Thursday filed a petition before the Bombay High Court seeking cancellation of the anticipatory bail granted to former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat in connection with the Louis Berger bribery case.

The Goa bench of the high court admitted the petition which will be taken up for hearing next week.

"The matter is admitted and hearing is fixed for August 27," Superintendent of Police (Crime Branch) Kartik Kashyap told PTI.

The court asked Kamat to file his reply at the earliest in this regard.

Meanwhile, the district court on Thursday reserved its order till Monday on a bail petition filed by former state Public Works Department Minister Churchill Alemao arrested in the Louis Berger pay-off scandal.

Alemao, who is currently in judicial remand, had moved the bail petition today.

His lawyer contended that Kamat, also booked in the same offence, was granted anticipatory bail by the court.

While granting anticipatory bail to Kamat yesterday, the district court had asked him to furnish a surety of Rs one lakh, not to tamper with the evidence, and to cooperate with the Crime Branch as and when summoned.

The police recently slapped an additional charge of 'causing disappearance of evidence' against Kamat under section 201 of IPC. Earlier, he was charged under IPC section 120-B (conspiracy) and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Kamat was Goa Chief Minister when the alleged bribe was given in 2010.

Police have so far arrested Alemao, former vice-president of Louis Berger Satyakam Mohanty, head of JICA-aided project in Goa Anand Wachasunder and alleged hawala dealer Raychand Soni in the case.

Mohanty was granted bail on August 17.